OKLAHOMA ST: Reality sets in this year for Cowboys fans as the best QB-WR tandem in college football (Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon) has moved on to the NFL. OSU will replace Weeden with junior Clint Chelf, who has 5 TD and 1 INT in mop-up duty in his career. OSU was able to put up 48.7 PPG last year (2nd in FBS), thanks to the best turnover margin in the nation and 24 TD from RB Joseph Randle, who finished with 1,216 rushing yards on 5.8 YPC. Senior WR Tracy Moore (672 rec yds, 4 TD) moves up to take Blackmon's No. 1 receiver spot. The Cowboys defense ranked among the top-40 teams in the nation in both sacks (2.2 per game) and Tackles For Loss (7.0 per game), but allowed a whopping 272 pass YPG in the pass-happy Big 12. But there is talent in the secondary, and most of last year's defense, which held Texas Tech to six points and Oklahoma to 10, returns for the 2012 season.

KANSAS: The Turner Gill experiment with the Jayhawks failed miserably and that ultimately led Kansas to the hiring of C harlie Weis. The head coach made a big move for his new program by getting his former QB Dayne Crist to transfer from Notre Dame. Crist (16 TD, 9 INT, 6.9 YPA in career) has a strong arm and leadership qualities to provide stability at the most important position in football. Junior RB James Sims (727 rush yds, 9 TD) and speedy sophomore Tony Pierson (88-yd TD run in spring game) are the keys to a strong rushing attack. The defense ranked last among all 120 FBS teams in both yards (516 YPG) and scoring (43.8 PPG), and will most likely struggle again as they lost a few starters and didn't land any big-time transfers or recruits.